Archives for March 2017

Just one bad night of sleep makes it more likely that employees who already displayed unwanted behaviour one day at work will display a similar type of behaviour the following day, according to a stud…

The main motive of the report on “Global Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) Market 2017” is to study comprehensive details of the market investors, key industry players which will enable them to make vital decisions in regards to Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) growth opportunities and future investment scope.

This report highlights the prominent industry competitors and provides the deep analysis of the major factors influencing the market. The report also covers the forecasts market study related to industry trends, market volume, market share estimates and company profiles of top industry players.

Finally, the research study provides a comprehensive view of the global Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) market, offering market size and estimates for the period from 2016 to 2021, keeping in mind the above mentioned factors.

Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), today announced the nonprofit organizations selected to receive grants in the first quarter of 2017 through Voya Foundation, the company’s charitable giving arm. Voya Foundation invests in programming to help foster h…

ShapeShift AG, the world’s leading instant exchange for Bitcoin digital currency and other blockchain assets, today announced the completion of its $10.4 million Series A funding round. Led by international venture capital firm Earlybird, the financing is the largest ever for a non-fiat financial exchange. Other new investors include Lakestar, Access Venture Partners, Pantera Capital, and Blockchain Capital. Prior ShapeShift backers FundersClub, Digital Currency Group and Erik Voorhees, the company’s founder and CEO, also participated. The funds will be mainly used for further expansion of the team to keep up with its rapid growth, and to release two groundbreaking exchange products in 2017.

With the market cap of blockchain tokens now in the tens of billions of dollars, ShapeShift helps customers convert between them, for example exchanging a token on the Bitcoin blockchain for a token on the Ethereum blockchain. The digital asset exchange has grown an average of 48 percent per month since launching just under three years ago. The company operates under a strict “no fiat” policy, meaning only legitimate blockchain-based assets (no government money) are permitted on the platform.

“ShapeShift’s team built a compelling crypto exchange engine which can be easily integrated into third-party products given its unique trustless design,” said Christian Nagel, Partner at Earlybird. “It is uncommon to find the powerful combination of a noted serial Bitcoin entrepreneur, a senior team with deep industry knowledge, and a strong vision as the one present at ShapeShift.”

Founded in mid-2014, ShapeShift is the fastest and safest way for both humans and machines (such as trading bots and IoT devices) to exchange any asset that exists on a public blockchain. The company pioneered the concept of “protection by design,” building the first exchange that didn’t require the exposure of sensitive customer data. Unlike other exchanges, ShapeShift doesn’t hold customer assets or information, a feature that is impossible in traditional finance. This sets a new standard in consumer protection that the largest banks haven’t been able to achieve in a hundred years.

“When we started ShapeShift, a future world of natively digital assets was very theoretical,” said Erik Voorhees, Founder and CEO of ShapeShift. “Yet this world is quickly arriving; one in which millions of forms of digital value, from access keys to tokenized derivative contracts to video game items, will trade between people and machines all over the world, every second of every day. Just as information has gone natively digital, so too now goes value. Bitcoin taught a skeptical world how to do it, and the gold rush is on.”

The ShapeShift platform currently supports more than 40 leading digital currencies and assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dash, Litecoin, Augur’s Rep token, and Monero. Any of these assets may be sold for any other, thus over 1,080 direct trading pairs are supported, more than any other blockchain-based exchange.

“Pantera believes in a future where myriads of digital assets will facilitate innovative use cases and products,” said Paul Veradittakit, Partner at Pantera. “ShapeShift has done a tremendous job providing a seamless way to exchange such assets, and is spearheading this vision with upcoming financial products. Most importantly, we invested in ShapeShift because of our confidence in Erik, whom we’ve known for a while and has demonstrated the leadership and qualities to succeed in this space.”

About ShapeShift AG

ShapeShift is the fastest and safest digital asset exchange in the world. With no user accounts or custodianship of funds, the platform enables any person or machine to convert between blockchain-based tokens such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. The company also operates http://www.CoinCap.io, a free data resource for real-time digital currency price and market information. See more at: https://shapeshift.io/new.html

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi will install its 343rd chapter at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center today, March 29. The installation of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center chapter comes after a thorough chartering process and approval from the Society’s board of directors.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana (PRWEB) March 29, 2017

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi will install its 343rd chapter at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center today, March 29. Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, founded in 1969, is located in Lubbock, Texas. For more information visit http://www.ttuhsc.edu/.

The installation of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center chapter comes after a thorough chartering process and approval from the Society’s board of directors. To be eligible, an institution must be a regionally accredited four-year college or university with an established reputation of excellence and an expressed commitment to upholding the values of the Society.

“The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is pleased to welcome Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center to its community of scholars,” said Society Executive Director Dr. Mary Todd. “The university’s leadership in interprofessional education is but one example of the excellence of their many programs.”

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of Marcus L. Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society—one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the Society has chapters on more than 300 campuses in the United States and the Philippines and inducts approximately 30,000 new members each year. Membership is by invitation only to the top 7.5 percent of juniors and the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students, along with faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

About Phi Kappa Phi

The Society’s mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.” Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated. Some of the organization’s more notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist David Baldacci and YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley. The Society has awarded approximately $15 million since the inception of its awards program in 1932. Today, $1.4 million is awarded each biennium to qualifying students and members through graduate fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, member and chapter awards, and grants for local and national literacy initiatives. For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit http://www.PhiKappaPhi.org.

Results of this study conducted by researchers in the Psychology Department at Loma Linda University will be presented March 31 from 6 to 7 p.m. PST during a poster session at the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s 2017 Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions in San Diego, CA.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) March 29, 2017

Using social media can be harmful for the body image of young adults with overweight/obesity, according to a study conducted by researchers in the Psychology Department at Loma Linda University.

Research suggests that social media use is associated with poor body image. Recent studies have demonstrated that comparing one’s physical appearance to that of others seems to play a key role in how social media use influences body image for female adults, regardless of their weight.

However, the impact of social media use on the body image of young adults with overweight/obesity is not known. One aspect of body image is body dissatisfaction which is an established risk factor for dieting and eating disorder symptoms.

Dean Lim, MA, a doctoral student, and Amanda Suplee, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow, examined how social media use affects body dissatisfaction in young adults with overweight/obesity, under the supervision of Associate Professor, Sylvia Herbozo, PhD. They surveyed 385 young adult females and males ages 18 to 29 from Midwestern and Southwestern universities. Participants were overweight or obese based on their body mass index. Questionnaires about social media use (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), appearance comparisons in various settings (e.g., work, party, restaurant), and body dissatisfaction were completed by participants.

Results indicate that approximately 24% of young adults with overweight/obesity use Facebook and 23% use Instagram for one hour per day on average. Social media use is also directly linked to body dissatisfaction in all participants. Additionally, those who spend more time on social media sites feel more dissatisfied with their body if they make more appearance comparisons.

“For young adults with overweight/obesity, the amount of appearance comparisons that are made seems to determine the extent to which social media use affects body dissatisfaction,” said Lim.

The next phase of this research will focus on specific activities during social media use, such as comparing one’s physical appearance to that of others viewed as more attractive and receiving comments about one’s physical appearance. Additional studies are needed to better understand how social media use can negatively impact body dissatisfaction in young adults with overweight/obesity.

Results of this study will be presented March 31 from 6 to 7 p.m. PST during a poster session at the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s 2017 Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions in San Diego, CA. The poster is titled: “Is social media harmful for the body image of young adults with overweight and obesity? Examining the role of appearance comparison. ” The authors report no financial or other conflicts of interests.

The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) is a 2,200-member organization of scientific researchers, clinicians and educators. They study interactions among behavior, biology and the environment, and translate findings into interventions that improve the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities (http://www.sbm.org).

Loma Linda University is a health sciences university and its Medical Center, one of the main health-care institutions in Southern California, is the flagship of a system of hundreds of Adventist health care institutions around the world.

Pagliuca Life Lab at Harvard University receives top honors in international modular competition.

LITTLETON, MA. (PRWEB) March 28, 2017

Triumph Modular Incorporated, and manufacturing partner NRB Inc., both long time members of the Modular Building Institute (MBI), an international modular trade organization, were awarded First Place, as well as the prestigious Best of Show in the permanent modular category for the Pagliuca Life Lab at Harvard University. The awards were presented at the 34th Annual World of Modular Awards of Distinction in Tucson, AZ. The MBI awards program showcases the industry’s most advanced and innovative modular projects across the world.

Harvard University engaged design firm Shepley Bulfinch and modular specialist Triumph Modular in pre-construction, as well as called on NRB and Shawmut Design & Construction to join the team in a deep collaborative effort to coordinate, design and build the 15,000 square foot wet lab. The Pagliuca Life Lab is made up of 33 modules, which were built off site by NRB. As a result of thoughtful planning and execution, the team was able to meet the owner’s desire to expedite the schedule to enable the critical work of the life lab to begin as soon as possible. Using the latest practices in modular construction, which includes concurrent activities on and off the project site, resulting in a compressed schedule, 20 life science and biotech start-ups were able to move-in and begin using the facility at a faster rate than had the project been constructed by more traditional methods.

“We are so pleased to be acknowledged with our partner Triumph Modular in receiving these prestigious industry Awards of Distinction. This was clearly one of the most unique, challenging and exciting projects ever engaged by the NRB (USA) team,” said Laurie Robert, VP Sales & Marketing at NRB, Inc. “From concept to completion, the collaborative effort between all of the stakeholders was fundamental in bringing this new state-of-the art lab to life in just seven months. We are proud to be a part of this new Harvard Pagliuca Life Lab that will provide teams of students, faculty and alumni the vital resources needed for important life-sciences research ventures.”

“We are honored to be recognized by the industry’s leading professionals for our contribution to Harvard University’s Pagliuca Life Lab,” said Clifford Cort, President of Triumph Modular. “This project provided an opportunity to support the creation of a rare modular wet lab that serves as a cutting edge project within the industry, supporting scientific breakthroughs and advancements made possible through modular construction.”

Harvard’s Pagliuca Life Lab incorporates highly complex systems and equipment required for advanced life sciences research within a wet lab facility. The first floor is designed in an open format with work tables, seating, shared conference rooms and a kitchen to encourage cross-team collaboration. While the second floor includes 36 lab benches equipped with compressed air and vacuum lines, chemical waste system, a self-contained walk-in environmental room, tissue culture rooms, and fume hoods.

“This year’s Awards of Distinction contest was very competitive, with more than one hundred entries overall,” said Tom Hardiman, Executive Director of Modular Building Institute. “Our panel of independent judges had some tough choices to make, so I congratulate all our winners on their awards.”

The MBI Awards of Distinction contest is the commercial modular industry’s premier awards program, offering competition in over 30 categories for MBI members: building manufacturers, dealers, and product and service providers. Entries are temporary, permanent, and renovated modular buildings as well as industry marketing pieces. Each entry is reviewed by an impartial panel of industry and non-industry construction and code experts, architects and engineers, and marketing professionals.

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About Triumph Modular

Triumph Modular Inc. is redefining modular with award winning permanent modular construction projects throughout New England. Triumph is a long trusted source of high quality relocatable space and is on the cutting edge of advancements in permanent modular construction. Triumph provides construction services from preconstruction strategies, design and coordination, procurement of the modules to delivery and installation. Our goal is to save our clients valuable time by compressing activities and increasing speed to occupancy, without making sacrifices in design innovation or quality. For more information and to view the iLab photo library visit Triumph Modular

About NRB

NRB is an off-site construction company that manufactures modular buildings for commercial, institutional, industrial and multi-family residential clients in Canada and the U.S. We’re in the business of off-site construction, but we’re also in the business of changing minds. We want people to think differently about construction, and that’s where our entrepreneurial spirit and can-do attitude come in. Tell us about a project and we almost never say ‘no.’ We’ll figure out how to deliver it with all the advantages of modular construction while staying true to the original design vision. For more information, visit nrb-inc.com.

About Modular Building Institute

The Modular Building Institute is the international nonprofit trade association that has served the modular construction industry for 30 years. Members are suppliers, manufacturers and contractors involved in all aspects of modular projects — from complex multistory solutions to temporary accommodations. As the voice of commercial modular construction, MBI expands the use of offsite construction through innovative construction practices, outreach, education to the construction community and customers, and recognition of high-quality modular designs and facilities. For more information on modular construction, visit http://www.modular.org

Jon Taffer, Executive Producer and Host of Spike TV’s “Bar Rescue” and the foremost expert in the hospitality industry, today announced a comprehensive partnership with Harbortouch, a leading national provider of point-of-sale (POS) systems and merchant services.

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) March 28, 2017

Jon Taffer, executive producer and host of Spike TV’s hit show Bar Rescue and foremost expert in the hospitality industry, today announced a comprehensive partnership with Harbortouch, a leading national provider of point-of-sale (POS) systems and merchant services. Taffer has officially endorsed the company’s touchscreen POS systems and will collaborate with Harbortouch to develop the industry’s first “smart” POS (sPOS) system. The collaboration will enable Harbortouch to integrate powerful revenue generating tools, based on Taffer’s extensive industry experience, into the company’s Elite POS systems.

Harbortouch’s sPOS systems will bring together technology and industry expertise in a way that has never been done before. Harbortouch POS systems deliver countless benefits in terms of improved efficiency and streamlined operations, and now these benefits will be combined with integrated tools, including powerful analytics and customer promotions, that will have a direct impact on top-line sales by increasing both customer frequency and spend per visit.

Harbortouch CEO Jared Isaacman explains how the partnership came about: “We really challenged ourselves to develop something truly game changing. We have already built the best POS system with the best technology and at the best price point, but we wanted to see if we could go a step further and do something entirely unique by helping our customers generate more revenue. We wanted to leverage the power of our industry-leading POS technology to help our merchants make more money. As the leading authority in the bar and restaurant industries, we knew that Jon Taffer would be the perfect partner to help pioneer this smart POS technology.”

“POS systems are the backbone of any business, but their major benefits have always been about efficiency,” says Taffer. “In my experience, I have found Harbortouch’s POS solution to be the best in the industry. Their POS system is unparalleled in terms of both price and capabilities, the two elements most critical to any small or mid-sized businesses’ success. I am proud to integrate my proven tools for increasing revenue with their best-in-class system and bring the first truly smart POS system to market.”

With over three decades of hands-on experience, Taffer is a two-time winner of the Bar Operator of the Year award, among a myriad of other honors, and his management methodology, Reaction Management, has become the gold standard of the industry. In 2010, Jon was appointed President of Nightclub & Bar Media Group where he oversaw the Nightclub & Bar Convention Trade Show. He also sat on its board of directors and serves as a consultant and development advisor to major restaurants, nightclubs and hotels worldwide.

Harbortouch is a pioneer of the POS-as-a-Service business model, offering a revolutionary free equipment program that delivers best-in-class POS systems with no up-front costs, including state-of-the-art hardware, premium software, custom programming, professional installation, onsite training and 24/7 support. Founded in 1999, the company has served more than 325,000 merchants and currently processes in excess of $12 billion annually. A six-time Inc. 500/5000 honoree, Harbortouch has been widely recognized for its innovative and disruptive POS and payment solutions.

About Harbortouch Payments

Harbortouch Payments, LLC is a leading business technology company and pioneer of the POS-as-a-Service business model, having served over 325,000 merchants in 17 years in business and currently processing more than $12 billion annually. The company offers a revolutionary free equipment program that delivers best-in-class POS systems with no up-front costs, including state-of-the-art hardware, premium software, custom programming, professional installation, onsite training and 24/7 support. A six-time Inc. 500/5000 honoree and recipient of numerous industry awards, Harbortouch has been widely recognized for its innovative and disruptive POS and payment solutions. For additional information, visit http://www.harbortouch.com.

About Jon Taffer

Within the nightlife, bar and restaurant industry, there is no greater authority than Jon Taffer. As a celebrity, hospitality expert and entrepreneur, Jon entertains and educates audiences from all walks of life, from Average Joes to CEOs. By delivering life-changing business lessons and inspirational stories, Jon has helped transform millions of people and companies by changing how they think and what they do. He is best known for his ‘in your face,’ no holds ‘barred’ style of turning failing bars into profitable businesses as the Host and Executive Producer on Spike TV’s number one hit show “Bar Rescue,” which is currently going into its sixth season. Jon is recognized internationally as an award-winning hospitality consultant and concept developer. With over three decades of hands on experience, he has owned and operated 17 hospitality businesses, consulted with over 800 venues in 30 countries and has worked with powerhouse brands like Hyatt Hotels, Hilton Hotels, TGI Fridays, Subway, Wolfgang Puck Express, Anheuser-Busch, AMF Bowling Centers and many more. Jon’s knack for starting, growing and improving hospitality concepts has led to many awards (such as Operator of the Year, Property of the Year, Visionary Leadership and the United Kingdom’s Pub Master), as well as executive positions with the Nightclub and Bar Convention and the National Restaurant Association, where he’s currently a Strategic Advisor. Learn more at http://www.jontaffer.com.

American Integrity recently completed its annual policyholder survey, and the results show that 94 percent of policyholders who responded said they were very or somewhat likely to refer the Company to a friend or loved one. When converted to the industry standard Net Promoter Score (NPS) measurement system, American Integrity Insurance’s NPS result would be a 64 – placing the Company among the upper echelon of customer loyalty torch bearers, such as USAA, Apple and Cadillac.

Tampa, Fla. (PRWEB) March 28, 2017

American Integrity recently completed its annual policyholder survey, and the results show that 94 percent of policyholders who responded said they were very or somewhat likely to refer the Company to a friend or loved one. When converted to the industry standard Net Promoter® Score (NPS®) measurement system, American Integrity Insurance’s NPS® result would be a 64 – placing the Company among the upper echelon of customer loyalty torch bearers, such as USAA, Apple and Cadillac. The average NPS® score for insurance carriers is 37, per Temkin Group, a leading customer experience research, consulting, and training firm.

“As a Florida-focused, Tampa-based company, we specifically design our products and service to address the unique insurance needs of our fellow Floridians,” said Bob Ritchie, President and CEO of American Integrity Insurance. “We strive to provide compassionate and timely service each day, and we humbly regard these survey results as a reflection of our efforts to place our policyholders and agents at the core of all that we do.”

The Company achieved equally strong results from its agent satisfaction survey – 97 percent of respondents said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their partnership with American Integrity Insurance. In the comments section of both surveys, many agents and policyholders lauded American Integrity’s communication and prompt response to customers during Hurricane Matthew, which traversed its way northward along Florida’s east coast in October 2016. During a terrifying time, when Floridians were in distress after 10+ years without experiencing a major storm, American Integrity demonstrated that its #1 objective was quickly responding to its customers to get them on the road to recovery. The Company closed 97 percent of its 3,000 Hurricane Matthew claims within three weeks. But that customer-centric emphasis isn’t just evident during hurricane season; it’s a year round priority.

“We don’t use traditional call center metrics like ‘average handle time,’ [which is] how long someone is on the phone,” said Patrick Madigan, Vice President of Underwriting and Client Services. “Those types of metrics don’t speak to the quality of the experience, or help us determine if the customer is happy. Instead, we’re much more concerned with reducing wait times so that we can respond to our customers’ needs as quickly as possible. We also review calls to identify trends and opportunities for training and improvement.” Every day, customer service team members get a summary about customer service levels and the team shares a full report, including customer feedback and comments, periodically to the entire company.

American Integrity honors its employees’ personalities and hires top-notch talent by asking unconventional questions during the interview process. Once hired, these associates don’t use scripts with customers. “I think a lot of customer service teams fall into that trap of scripting everything out,” said Madigan. “From the customer’s perspective, that can sometimes feel like they’re speaking to a robot.”

Additionally, American Integrity is keenly focused on fostering a team-oriented, collaborative culture, where peer recognition is strongly encouraged. “At our quarterly all-employee meetings, employees often take time to acknowledge each other for a job well done in front of the rest of the Company,” says Ritchie. “That type of recognition is priceless, and helps deepen the bond between co-workers.”

As a multiple “Best Workplace” award-winning organization, American Integrity understands the importance of cultivating a high-performing workplace. “We find people with a ‘make it happen’ spirit. In our staffing models we build in time for people to have some time off the phone to do things that are important to them and that they’re passionate about and that ultimately contribute to the business and to our customers too,” says Ritchie. By hiring people who are passionate about solving problems, we’ve had all different types of backgrounds but really it all comes back to this desire and passion for customers.”

Ultimately, American Integrity strives to empower its employees, equipping them with the tools and confidence to be productive. “Trust and inspire your employees. That sounds so basic, but I really think it’s important to hire the very best people you can, invest in them with leadership and training, and then trust them to do a good job,” Madigan stated. “I always tell my team that there’s nothing that I can do that they can’t do for a customer.”

American Integrity’s products include insurance for traditional and high value homes, condos, vacant homes, manufactured homes, and rental properties. Their newest products include umbrella coverage, standalone golf cart insurance and X-wind policies (robust coverage for sudden and accidental losses caused by all named perils excluding wind) to help address a broad range of needs facing today’s Florida home insurance customer. The Company constantly seeks to anticipate shifts in consumer preferences and utilizes emerging technologies to improve existing products, even as it develops and releases new products.

American Integrity Insurance, the fifth largest Florida domiciled residential property insurer, has in excess of 250,000 customers and is represented by more than 900 independent agents. The Tampa-based company offers sound and comprehensive property insurance solutions, including traditional home insurance and coverage for vacant homes, condominiums, manufactured homes, dwelling fire, umbrella, golf cart and X-Wind policies. For more information, please visit the company’s website at http://www.aiicfl.com, call 866-968-8390, or connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest or Instagram.